Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with us Virtually May 4th - 8th. Teacher Appreciation Week is from May 4 to 8 and educators are especially deserving of thanks this year as many are forced to conduct remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic. Amid the crisis, educators are still going above and beyond to reach their students. From creating google classrooms to getting creative with at home science experiments, teachers everywhere are keeping pupils engaged with education at a tough time. Below are some ideas for students to honor their teacher:

Dress as your favorite faculty/staff member. Take a pic and post on Facebook, Remind or Google Classroom!

Draw a picture, write a note, create a poem, send a video or message for your Teacher! A Drop Off Box is in the front of each school if you want to leave it in an envelope with your teacher's name OR send it electronically.

Send your teacher a Thank You Note and tell them what you miss most about school!!

Post the best lesson you learned in school!

Shout-out a former teacher who had an impact on your life!

Take a selfie with the SUB! Your moms, dads, grandmas, or grandpas, aunts, and uncles have been doing a GREAT job being your substitute teacher!! Take a Selfie with the SUB and post it on Google.

National Foster Care Month is an initiative of the Children’s Bureau. Each May, we take time to acknowledge foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections. We use this time to renew our commitment to ensuring a bright future for the more than 437,0001 children and youth in foster care, and celebrate those who make a meaningful difference in their lives. Click on the link below to find additional information about the National Foster Care Month initiative, including information about the Children’s Bureau’s commitment to prioritizing foster care as a service to families and promoting reunification. https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/about/

Since 1949, Mental Health America and our affiliates across the country have led the observance of May is Mental Health Month by reaching millions of people through the media, local events and screenings. We welcome other organizations to join us in spreading the word that mental health is something everyone should care about. While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. In 2020, our theme of Tools 2 Thrive will provide practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the situations they are dealing with. We now believe that these tools – even those that may need to be adapted for the short term because of COVID-19 and social distancing – will be more useful than ever.

Superintendent Dr. Missy Glenn announced that Palacios ISD offices and campuses, including the tax office, will be closed until further notice along with the of all extracurricular activities. See full letter here.

Please read the letter in the google link below from Superintendent, Dr. Missy Glenn, to the Palacios ISD Families concerning the coronavirus. Health officials believe that the risk to our school community is low at this time. Coronavirus Letter to Parents 3-2-20

My name is Reed Bowers, and I am the son of Reed and Lynn Bowers. I attend Palacios High School and am involved in sports, clubs, and organizations. I am the Secretary of NHS, a member of WIT, Secretary of STUCO, a member of Scrubs Club, and a participant in Academic UIL. I also play basketball and tennis for the Palacios Sharks. After high school, I plan on going to Texas A&M University in College Station and getting my Bachelors’ in business management with a focus on entrepreneurial leadership. My name is Mai Nguyen, daughter of Lap and Huong Nguyen. I’m a senior at Palacios High School. I am involved in WIT, Scrubs Club, and Cosmetology. I also participate in Science and Editorial Writing UIL. My plan after high school is to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at UHV.

At the Palacios ISD school board meeting Thursday night, the board approved an order to call a May bond election for $83 million of which $72 million was designated for academic facilities and $11 million for extra-curricular facilities. This bond will allow for updating some of the existing buildings and replacing outdated structures. At the March meeting, the board will continue discussion of a resolution that will limit the financial impact to the taxpayer by capping the tax rate. As the process continues, there will be multiple opportunities for the community to attend informational sessions. This bond proposal was a recommendation from the facilities committee which was formed in July of 2019 under the leadership of Superintendent, Dr. Missy Glenn. The committee was made up of Palacios ISD staff, parents, and community members who worked over seven months developing this proposal. Tours were held in the Fall of 2019 to evaluate the condition of the PISDfacilities and their ability to support 21st century learning. Visits to area schools assisted the committee in gathering ideas on how those districts renovated existing buildings or designed and built new facilities. Robert Gadbois with Owners Building Resource was hired in October by Palacios ISD to assist with evaluating our current facilities. The PISD staff were provided an anonymous survey to evaluate their campus and provide comments. In addition, Mr. Gadbois’ team conducted a professional evaluation of each building and determined estimated costs to renovate these facilities. He complimented the district on the job the maintenance department has done on maintaining the buildings but noted concerns with aging issues. The committee looked at these issues and prioritized the urgency to address these concerns. Mr. Gadbois noted that due to the age and deterioration of several of the buildings, he provided a renovation vs replacement cost. Mr. Gadbois updated the board over the last few months on the progress of the committee’s review of the district facilities and provided possible phase-in options which allowed the board to select which priorities were included in the final bond proposal.

Beginning Monday, January 27, 2020, there will be a PILOT change to the District Dress Code. Number 12 of the district dress code document currently reads:

Boys’ hair shall fall no longer on the back and sides than the top of a shirt collar. Facial hair including beard and mustache is not permitted.

This shall be changed to read:

Facial hair including beard and mustache is not permitted.

This change will take effect at all Palacios ISD campuses. This is a pilot change for the Spring 2020 semester only. Discipline, attendance, and student achievement will be monitored for the Spring semester, before making a decision on adopting this as a permanent change.